Mark 13

As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look at that, Teacher. What stones. What buildings.”

“You see all these great buildings?” Jesus said. “Not one stone here will be left on another. Every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately,

“Tell us, when will this happen? And what'll be the sign that it's all about to come about?”

Jesus said to them, “Watch out that nobody takes you in.

Plenty will come in my name saying, ‘I'm the one,’ and they'll take a lot of people in.

When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, don't panic. These things have to happen, but the end is still to come.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There'll be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the first pains of the birth.

You've got to watch yourselves. You'll be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. Because of me you'll stand in front of governors and kings as witnesses to them.

And the good news must first be preached to all nations.

Whenever you're arrested and brought to trial, don't worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever you're given at the time, because it isn't you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will turn on their parents and have them put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who holds out to the end will be saved.

When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it doesn't belong — let the reader work it out — then those in Judea should run for the hills.

Nobody on the roof should go down or go into the house to take anything out.

Nobody out in the field should go back for their coat.

It'll be a dreadful time for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Pray that it doesn't happen in winter,

because those will be days of distress like nothing since the beginning, when God made the world, until now — and nothing like it again.

If the Lord hadn't cut those days short, nobody would come through it. But for the sake of the chosen, whom he has chosen, he's shortened them.

At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here's the Messiah,’ or, ‘Look, there he is,’ don't believe it.

Because false messiahs and false prophets will turn up and do signs and wonders to take people in — even the chosen, if that were possible.

So watch yourselves. I've told you everything ahead of time.

But in those days, after that distress, the sun will go dark, and the moon won't give its light.

The stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

And he'll send his angels and gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

Now learn this from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs go tender and its leaves come out, you know summer's near.

In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know it's near, right at the door.

I'm telling you straight, this generation certainly won't pass away until all this has happened.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

But about that day or hour nobody knows — not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father.

Be on your guard. Stay awake. You don't know when that time will come.

It's like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their own job, and tells the one on the door to keep watch.

So keep watch, because you don't know when the owner of the house is coming back — evening, midnight, when the rooster crows, or first light.

Don't let him come back suddenly and find you asleep.

What I'm saying to you, I'm saying to everyone: keep watch.”